Lingerie-clasp.



A. L. SAWYER.

' LINGERIE CLASP. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 26. 1911;

Patented July 17, 1917.

ASA L. SAWYER, OF EAST PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR 'IO HALLAM-RICE (30., OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, A COPARTNERSI-IIP CONSISTING OF WALTER E. I-IALLAM AND HENRY W. RICE, BOTH OF PAWTUCKET, RHODE ISLAND.

LINGERIE-CLASP.

Application filed. February 26, 1917. Serial No. 150,910.

To all whom it mayconoem:

Be it known that 1, Ass. L. SAWYER, citizen of the United States, and resident of East Providence, Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lingerie-Clasps, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to clasps, particu larly of the type commonly known as lingeric-clasps, commonly used for the purpose of. holding in place shoulder straps of underwear or other garments.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a clasp of this type with means for holding a perfumery pad in such .a manner as to permit the normal use of the clasp without interfering with the flexibility which it is desirable that such a clasp shall possess in order to render it satisfactory and convenient for service.

To this end the invention comprises a clasp member consisting essentially of two interlocking arms, one of which is preferably curved or bowed toward-the inside and is so constructed and arranged as to receive and retain a pad holding member constructed and arranged to retain a erfumery pad on the inner side of said arm without impairing the flexibility of the arm while giving the fullest opportunity for the perfumery to be difl'used from the pad.

In the accompanying drawingsl have illustrated two forms embodying the principles of this invention, in which,

Figure 1 is a side elevation showing the complete clasp with its pad holder and pad 1 in position.

Fig. 2 is a plan view there-of.

Fig. 3 is a central cross section in elevation.

Fig. 4 is a detail plan view of the pad holding member.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of a modified form of the invention. 1

Fig. 6 is a detail view of the modified form of pad holder shown in Fig. 5.

Figs. 7 and 8 show respectively, a side ele vation and a plan view of a slightly modified form of the invention shown in Figs. 5 and 6.

In the practice of my invention according to the forms illustrated, the clasp itself consists of a single strip of sheet metal doubled back at its middle portion to form two approximately parallel arms a and b which are respectively provided with interlocking hooks a and 6 formed by bending back their free ends.

As shown in the drawings, the hook portions are made concavo-convex for the twofold purpose of securing a more reliable interlocking engagement between them and for preventing any lateral play that would interfere with perfect alinement of the two members when locked. The concavoconvex end portions also tend to minimize thelikelihood of lace or other fabric catching against the edges of the end portions of the c asp.

One of the arms, in this case the lower arm, is curved inwardly and is formed with two lips or tongues 6 preferably produced by striking up small portions of the middle of the armat two points near the respective ends of the arm 6. These tongues are merely engaging means for detachably engaging and holding the pad holding member a,

which according to the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to t comprises a slightly curved or bowed strip of sheet metal 0 whose opposite ends are preferably provided with counter-sunk portions 0 to receive the upturned tongues b when the device is assembled so that the retaining tongues will not project upward above the holding member sufliciently to engage a part of the lace or other delicate tissue of the garment on which the clasp may be used.

To retain the pad against lateral movement the central portion of the arm 5 may be struck up to form a prick-point b which will be embedded in the pad laid above it and against which the pad will be held by the arched or bowed retaining member 0. Any number of prick-points may be used but generally speaking, a single one is sulficient.

Instead of making the pad holding member of sheet metal it may be formed of wire having preferably the form of an elongated loop 0? as shown in Fig. 6, so proportioned as to be sprung in between the retaining tongues 6 and pinch the pad between itself and the pad carrying arm.

Patented July 1'7, 1917.

It will be noticed that both forms of the pad and that neither of them affect the flexibility of the arm carrying the pad because of the fact that they have a jointed engagement with said arm which permits the arm to spring readily without opposing any resistance to such flexing of the arm.

In my earlier application Ser. No. 135,545 I have shown another form of this invention in which the pad holder is in the form of a box-like casing or other receptacle attached to one of the arms of the clasp and while the joint or connection between the pad holder and the arm of the clasp gives a certain freedomor looseness of play nevertheless the flanges forming the sides of such inclosing box by bearing against the inner face of the clasp arm, have a tendency to position 'WithOllt the necessity of bending the holding tongues.

The form shown in Figs. 7 and 8 difi'ers from that shown in Fig. 5 in respect to the form of the retaining tongues for engaging the wire pad holder. In this case the retaining members 6* are formed by striking up from the metal of the arm 7) two closed eyes or loops. The free ends of the wire are forced apart and one of them inserted in one of the loops .7) until the middle cross connecting portion of the Wire is seated therein and then the two free ends are sprung into the companion loop by forcing them outwardly as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 8. In this form there is no projecting point or free end of the retaining tongue, this loop or eye being entirely closed on both s1 es. I

hat I claim is:

1. A lingerie clasp embracing in its construction a pair of cooperating arms adapted to interlockingly engage each other at their free ends, a flexible pad-holding member connected to the inside of said arm by a ointed connection which permits the bending of said arm and said pad-holding member, substantially as described.

2. A lingerie clasp embracing in its construction an arm formed with a plurality of inwardly projecting tongues properly spaced apart, a flexible pad holding member arranged to be sprung into detachable engagement with said tongues in order to hold a scent pad in position against said arm, substantially as described.

3. In a lingerie clasp the combination of a curved arm provided with inwardly turned retaining tongues, a pad-holding member consisting of a longitudinal strip having counter-sunk portions at its opposite ends to receive said retaining tongues when said longitudinal strip is placed between said holding tongues, substantially as described.

4. A lingerie clasp embracing in combina tion an arm provided with inwardly turned integral retaining tongues, a longitudinal pad-holding strip whose end portions are provided with counter-sunk recesses to re ceive said tongues when said strip is placed in operative position between them, a pad located between said strip and said arm, and means projecting into said pad to hold it against lateral displacement, substantially as described.

5. A lingerie clasp embracing in its construction a pair of cooperating interlocking arms, and a flexible pad-holding member arranged to be detachably sprung into engagement with one of said arms to hold a pad in position thereon, substantially as described. In witness whereof, I have subscribed the above specification.

ASA L. SAVVYER.

Homes of thispatent may be obtainedfor five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0. 

